Method and System Identifying IP Blocks and Block Suppliers for an Electronic Design

1. A method for locating an IP component for an electronic design, comprising: performing a search of an IP catalog for an IP component that is to be used in a block-based implementation of an electronic design, wherein the IP component complies with a set of component requirements to be used within the electronic design; determining that there is an inability to identify a candidate IP component from the IP catalog that suitably corresponds to the set of component requirements for the IP component; based at least in part upon determining that there is the inability to identify the candidate IP component from the IP catalog that suitably corresponds to the set of component requirements for the IP component, using an expert system to provide a set of questions; and using the set of questions to infer the candidate IP component from the IP catalog to be integrated into the electronic design, wherein the expert system uses an answer to a first question in the set of questions to determine a second question in the set of questions.

2. The method of claim 1 in which an inference engine is used to use the set of questions to infer the candidate IP component from the IP catalog.

3. The method of claim 2 in which a knowledge base is accessed by the inference engine to identify the set of question to be asked.

4. The method of claim 3 in which the knowledge base is updated using results of prior searches.

5. The method of claim 1 in which the set of questions comprises a series of targeted questions that filters information from the IP catalog using responses.

6. The method of claim 1 in which the set of questions comprises a series of targeted questions, where a succeeding question is based at least in part on an earlier response.

7. The method of claim 1 in which a concierge service is accessed using results from inferring the candidate IP component.

8. The method of claim 1 in which the search for the IP component is based upon performance of chip planning for the electronic design, wherein the chip planning is to obtain expected characteristics or production requirements for the electronic design.

9. The method of claim 1 in which the inability to identify the candidate IP component is based upon zero matching IP components in the IP catalog or too many IP components being returned from the search of the IP catalog.

10. The method of claim 1 in which the candidate IP component is identified based at least in part upon whether a IP supplier corresponding to the candidate IP component belongs to one or more membership tiers.

11. The method of claim 1 in which the candidate IP component is identified based at least in part upon whether a IP supplier corresponding to the candidate IP component has purchased rights to be included in a search result.

12. The method of claim 1 in which the candidate IP component is identified based at least in part upon whether a IP supplier corresponding to the candidate IP component satisfies filtering of IP suppliers for technology or keywords associated with the IP suppliers.

13. The method of claim 12 in which the IP suppliers provide compensation to be associated with the technology or the keywords.

14. A system for locating an IP component for an electronic design, comprising: a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising an IP catalog having information about one or more IP components that are available for purchase or licensing; a portal site available to be used to perform a search of the IP catalog for an IP component that is to be used in block-based implementation of an electronic design, wherein the IP component complies with a set of component requirements to be used within the electronic design; and a search wizard comprising executable computer code, which when executed with a processor, uses an expert system to provide a set of questions and uses the set of questions to infer the candidate IP component from the IP catalog to be used in the block-based implementation of the electronic design, wherein the expert system uses an answer to a first question in the set of questions to determine a second question in the set of questions.

15. The system of claim 14 in which the search wizard comprises an inference engine to use the set of questions to infer the candidate IP component from the IP catalog.

16. The system of claim 14 in which the search wizard accesses a knowledge base to identify the set of question to be asked.

17. The system of claim 16 in which the knowledge base is updatable using results of prior searches.

18. The system of claim 14 in which the set of questions comprises a series of targeted questions that filters information from the IP catalog using responses.

19. The system of claim 14 in which the set of questions comprises a series of targeted questions, where a succeeding question is based at least in part on an earlier response.

20. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a request manager to perform a concierge service using results from the search wizard.

21. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a chip planner that performs chip planning for the electronic design, wherein the chip planning is to obtain expected characteristics or production requirements for the electronic design.

22. The system of claim 14 , in which the computer readable medium holds information regarding whether a IP supplier corresponding to the candidate IP component belongs to one or more membership tiers, and the information is used to identify the candidate IP component.

23. The system of claim 14 , in which the computer readable medium holds information regarding whether a IP supplier corresponding to the candidate IP component has purchased rights to be included in a search result, and the information is used to identify the candidate IP component.

24. The system of claim 14 , in which the computer readable medium holds information regarding whether a IP supplier corresponding to the candidate IP component satisfies filtering of IP suppliers for technology or keywords associated with the IP suppliers, and the information is used to identify the candidate IP component.

25. The system of claim 24 in which the IP suppliers provide compensation to be associated with the technology or the keywords.

26. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer usable medium, the non-transitory computer useable medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor causes the processor to execute a method for locating an IP component for an electronic design, the method comprising: performing a search of an IP catalog for an IP component that is to be used in a block-based implementation of an electronic design, wherein the IP component complies with a set of component requirements to be used within the electronic design; determining that there is an inability to identify a candidate IP component from the IP catalog that suitably corresponds to the set of component requirements for the IP component; based at least in part upon determining that there is the inability to identify the candidate IP component from the IP catalog that suitably corresponds to the set of component requirements for the IP component, using an expert system to provide a set of questions; and using the set of questions to infer the candidate IP component from the IP catalog to be integrated into the electronic design, wherein the expert system uses an answer to a first question in the set of questions to determine a second question in the set of questions.

27. The computer program product of claim 26 in which an inference engine is used to use the set of questions to infer the candidate IP component from the IP catalog.

28. The computer program product of claim 27 in which a knowledge base is accessed by the inference engine to identify the set of question to be asked.

29. The computer program product of claim 28 in which the knowledge base is updated using results of prior searches.

30. The computer program product of claim 26 in which the set of questions comprises a series of targeted questions that filters information from the IP catalog using responses.

31. The computer program product of claim 26 in which the set of questions comprises a series of targeted questions, where a succeeding question is based at least in part on an earlier response.

32. The computer program product of claim 26 in which a concierge service is accessed using results from inferring the candidate IP component.

33. The computer program product of claim 26 in which the search for the IP component is based upon performance of chip planning for the electronic design, wherein the chip planning is to obtain expected characteristics or production requirements for the electronic design.

34. The computer program product of claim 26 in which the inability to identify the candidate IP component is based upon zero matching IP components in the IP catalog or too many IP components being returned from the search of the IP catalog.

35. The computer program product of claim 26 in which the candidate IP component is identified based at least in part upon whether a IP supplier corresponding to the candidate IP component has purchased rights to be included in a search result.

36. The computer program product of claim 26 in which the candidate IP component is identified based at least in part upon whether a IP supplier corresponding to the candidate IP component satisfies filtering of IP suppliers for technology or keywords associated with the IP suppliers.

37. The computer program product of claim 36 in which the IP suppliers provide compensation to be associated with the technology or the keywords.